"One of the most open and intellectually curious people i have ever had the pleasure to know. so enormously talented and generous of heart. wise beyond his years. and gone before his time. all love and strength to his family at this impossible time of grief,” he wrote.

Director Guillermo del Toro wrote:

Anton was a sweetheart. Absolutely a great creative partner and artist.

Yelchin, who was born in Russia and moved to the U.S. as a baby, began his career on TV and received critical acclaim after appearing in indie films including Alpha Dog and House of D. The success led him to big budget blockbusters like Star Trek and Terminator: Salvation.